*4.2.3.1 Azpi Gorri (7, picture 11)*

Placed in the north of Spain, in Basque country, the breed has small numbers with around 1000 heads; its name reflects its red color. It has a medium size, horizontal ears, and short coat, deep red and gleaming black with chestnut face stripes, legs, abdomen, and the underside of the tail. Its main use is for kid meat production, though it is also to a certain extent milked.

*4.2.3.2 Bermeya (8, picture 12)*

This endangered breed with around 2500 animals included in its herd book is placed in the Cantabrian coast and mountains of the north of Spain, having its herd book registered in 1999. It has a fine, mainly short coat; some animals have pantaloons and a variable intensity red coat (harsher and longer in males) and horizontal ears and arched horns. It is bred mainly for meat but also for milk for local cheeses such as "Cabrales."

*4.2.3.3 Pirenaica (9, picture 13)*

This breed is located in the French and Spanish Pyrenees. On the Spanish slopes the breed shows a predominant meat aptitude; however, in France the aptitude is more focused on milk production. In Spain, the coat (usually long) is preferred black or dark brown, with paler abdomen, lower legs, and face stripes. The breed has high prolificacy, very good adaptation to the high mountain production systems, and good potential for milk production.

*4.2.3.4 Retinta Extremeña (10, picture 14)*

The breed is located in the west of Spain. The coat is short and variable red, mainly dark, and it has twisted horns. Dedicated to meat it is also milked and characterized by being well adapted to extreme conditions. It has a quiet temperament.

*4.2.3.5 Verata (11, picture 15)*

**35**

*The Goat Sector in Spain: Situation, Local Breeds, and Production Systems*

The Verata breed is mainly located in the area called "La Vera." The coat has different colors: chestnut brown, black, blackish brown, or gray, frequently with the muzzle clearer, presenting big twisted horns. As with many other breeds, it has

meat and milk aptitude, so could be considered as a double aptitude animal.

This breed is mainly placed in the mountains of the northern region of Andalusia. It has a characteristic convex profile, with long twisted lyre-shaped horns, and a white coat. It has a noticeable sexual dimorphism. The breed has very high rusticity "live with the deer" and a clear meat aptitude. In some areas it is also

This old breed is quite similar to the previous one, but it has a wider diffusion, and it is slightly smaller presenting a less convex profile. Its main use is for producing meat; the females are rarely milked. "Tronchón" cheese is associated with the Blanca Celtibética breed. Exceptionally, it is supplemented due to its enormous

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82539*

*4.2.3.6 Blanca Andaluza (12, picture 16)*

milked, as are many other rustic breeds.

adaptation and rusticity.

*4.2.3.7 Blanca Celtibérica (13, pictures 17 and 18)*

*4.2.3.8 Blanca de la Rasquera (14, pictures 19 and 20)*

*The Goat Sector in Spain: Situation, Local Breeds, and Production Systems DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82539*

The Verata breed is mainly located in the area called "La Vera." The coat has different colors: chestnut brown, black, blackish brown, or gray, frequently with the muzzle clearer, presenting big twisted horns. As with many other breeds, it has meat and milk aptitude, so could be considered as a double aptitude animal.

*4.2.3.6 Blanca Andaluza (12, picture 16)*

*Goats (Capra) - From Ancient to Modern*

tems, and good potential for milk production.

*4.2.3.4 Retinta Extremeña (10, picture 14)*

*4.2.3.5 Verata (11, picture 15)*

This breed is located in the French and Spanish Pyrenees. On the Spanish slopes the breed shows a predominant meat aptitude; however, in France the aptitude is more focused on milk production. In Spain, the coat (usually long) is preferred black or dark brown, with paler abdomen, lower legs, and face stripes. The breed has high prolificacy, very good adaptation to the high mountain production sys-

The breed is located in the west of Spain. The coat is short and variable red, mainly dark, and it has twisted horns. Dedicated to meat it is also milked and characterized by being well adapted to extreme conditions. It has a quiet temperament.

*4.2.3.3 Pirenaica (9, picture 13)*

**34**

This breed is mainly placed in the mountains of the northern region of Andalusia. It has a characteristic convex profile, with long twisted lyre-shaped horns, and a white coat. It has a noticeable sexual dimorphism. The breed has very high rusticity "live with the deer" and a clear meat aptitude. In some areas it is also milked, as are many other rustic breeds.

*4.2.3.7 Blanca Celtibérica (13, pictures 17 and 18)*

This old breed is quite similar to the previous one, but it has a wider diffusion, and it is slightly smaller presenting a less convex profile. Its main use is for producing meat; the females are rarely milked. "Tronchón" cheese is associated with the Blanca Celtibética breed. Exceptionally, it is supplemented due to its enormous adaptation and rusticity.

*4.2.3.8 Blanca de la Rasquera (14, pictures 19 and 20)*

Closely related to Blanca Celtibérica [14], this breed lives in the mountains near to the Catalonian coast. It has a white color, but frequently has black spots on a white coat and very twisted horns that sometimes look like ovine ones. Also, rusticity and kid meat are their main productive characteristics.

*4.2.3.9 Mallorquina (15, picture 21)*

This breed lives in the higher steep areas of the Balearic Islands, 800 m above sea level in the "Trasmontana Hills." In the past they have even been hunted, although nowadays they are included in conservation programs, living in semi-extensive production systems. The breed resembles the Markhor, with long horns, beards in both sexes, and a red and black coat. Associated with the diet and genotype, these meat aptitude and feral animals have darker, but tenderer, meat than milk lambs [4].

*4.2.3.10 Moncaina (16, pictures 22 and 23)*

Placed in a mountain area in the Aragón region ("Moncayo"), this breed has genetic connections with the Pirenaica y Guadarrama breeds. It was recognized as a breed in 2002. It has arched horns and a black or chestnut long coat with clearer areas. Meat is its main production, although the breed has been recognized as an acceptable milk producer.

*4.2.3.11 Negra Serrana (17, picture 24)*

**37**

*The Goat Sector in Spain: Situation, Local Breeds, and Production Systems*

This black, sometimes with a mixture of black and white hairs, breed lives between the Andalusia region and its north border areas with Castilian la Mancha. It has a convex profile, large weight, and a morphology that could be compared with the Boer breed. A peculiarity is a noticeable lop skin under the gorge. It has a clear meat aptitude, and low milk production, which could generate a low maternal

Spanish goat systems show a great diversity of farms, although there are several common aspects, such as their familiar character, the lack of technical-economic management, and the lack of a clear structure of the sector [18]. Spanish goat breeds are farmed under different extensive, semi-extensive, semi-intensive, or intensive systems, depending on their productive aptitude and performance. Thus, in general, those breeds with a high milk production, which can be classified as dairy breeds, are reared under the most intensive systems, in plain geographical areas, with high forage availability to cover their nutritional demands. Sometimes kids are considered as a by-product in these farms. On the other hand, those breeds with a lower milk potential used to be reared in marginal mountainous areas, under extensive or semi-extensive models, following traditional pastoral systems, where kids are the main product (meat breeds). When a particular breed is also milked, it is considered as a dual-purpose goat breed, whose characteristics

In addition to the genetic base, there is also great heterogeneity in terms of other characteristics of the systems, as are the management of food and reproduction, and the degree of technification, which determines the type of system. Ultimately goat production systems in Spain are mainly determined by the aptitude of the

Both semi-extensive and intensive farms are focused on milk production as the main economical resource. The main differences between the two opposite poles lie, in general, in the number of goats (small-medium farms in the most extensive systems, with 250–450 heads, and large intensive farms, with 700–1500 heads), and the reproductive system (from one kidding to three to four kidding seasons per year, respectively). Under this perspective, semi-extensive farms present periods of total absence of milk production; meanwhile intensive farms, with a planned reproductive schedule, are theoretically able to offer milk all year round. However, despite the intensification process of some farms, milk production continues to be seasonal, with maximum production in spring and minimum at the end of summer and beginning of autumn, which is opposite to milk prices, which are lower in

Most of the farms under this system can be considered as dairy farms. These farms follow a permanent housing of the animals, generally in communal yards that have uncovered areas. Feeding used to be indoors. Different paddocks keep animals

in the same phase of lactation or with the same level of production.

breed such as farm facilities, housing systems, and feeding strategies.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82539*

**5. Goat production systems in Spain**

instinct in young females [13].

have been previously defined.

spring and higher in autumn and early winter.

**5.2 Milk production**

**5.3 Intensive systems**

**5.1 Introduction**

### *The Goat Sector in Spain: Situation, Local Breeds, and Production Systems DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82539*

This black, sometimes with a mixture of black and white hairs, breed lives between the Andalusia region and its north border areas with Castilian la Mancha. It has a convex profile, large weight, and a morphology that could be compared with the Boer breed. A peculiarity is a noticeable lop skin under the gorge. It has a clear meat aptitude, and low milk production, which could generate a low maternal instinct in young females [13].
